


Moonlit Ice, Shadowed Despair

by Denois



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Just angst, Mentions of homophobia, post 4.9
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 16:55:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17791187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denois/pseuds/Denois
Summary: Bitty returned to the Haus furious that the waffles and Whiskey had disobeyed him to attend a party. Dex goes to look for Whiskey and make sure he's okay after being unintentionally outed against his will, because Dex knows that they have something in common that the rest of the team just can't understand. A complete lack of hope.





	Moonlit Ice, Shadowed Despair

**Author's Note:**

> Discussions of familial homophobia and being cut off and kicked out.

Dex had been working on his homework at the kitchen table. It wasn’t the most comfortable, both the green couch and his computer chair downstairs were more comfy, but it allowed him to be around his teammates. The people he thought might be his friends. He was never quite sure, it all seemed so conditional, their approval. But wasn’t that always the case?

He had been working on homework. But then Bitty had stormed into the Haus with the waffles trailing behind. Bitty was worked up, but it usually didn’t take long for him to say what was bothering him, so Dex saved his work and waited it out.

“Connor Whisk! How could he? Not the kissing a boy. That’s fine, though I thought he had a girlfriend. But he ran away! From me! From his captain! What was he even doing at that party? I forbade it!” 

Bitty whirled on the waffles and pointed an accusatory finger at them. “You three. There will be repercussions at practice and you will owe a fine. I will have to discuss the amount with Ford. But be prepared. Go home.”

He whirled back toward the Frogs and Ollie and Wicks at the table. The waffles wisely slunk from the Haus quietly. 

Dex closed his laptop before Bitty could start in again. “Let me see if I understand this. You went to the party you told us to avoid, found the waffles there, then saw Whiskey kissing some guy. At a party he had every reason to believe would be free of Samwell Men’s Hockey presence. When he realized that you had seen him, that he had been outed against his will, intentional or no, he ran and you _chased_ him. Then, you came here and outed him to all of us?” Dex indicated the group around the table. “And possibly the waffles if they hadn’t seen what you did.”

Bitty’s mouth gaped open and he snapped it shut before narrowing his eyes at Dex. “William Jacob Poindexter, what exactly are you accusing me of in that tone of voice?”

Dex shook his head. “Not accusing. Just trying to make sure I got the facts right. I’m gonna go try to find him.” He pushed himself to his feet and headed for the door. 

“Shouldn’t someone who understands his situation go?” Of course it was Nursey who spoke up. “No offense, but talking to a straight guy about being outed isn’t usually helpful.”

Dex stopped in the doorway to the hall and turned just a bit to throw his reply over his shoulder. “Ayuh. That’s why I’m going.”

He grabbed his jacket and was out the front door before he could hear the response. For a team that lectured about heteronormativity, they sure made some wicked numb assumptions. 

* * *

Dex found Whiskey in Faber. It wasn’t difficult, it had been Dex’s first guess, actually. He wasn’t sure what he’d have done if Whiskey had gone to meet up with whoever the guy was. Then again, that would have made the talk that guy’s problem and not Dex’s. 

Regardless, Dex found him, sitting on the bench at Faber and staring at the ice. It’s where he would have expected to find Jack, and probably one of the top five places that he’d have gone himself. 

He sat down on the bench near Whiskey and looked out at the ice too. It was dark, but the light from the moon filtered through the giant windows and played across the surface. 

They stayed like that, silent, for a long time. Dex didn’t check how long, but he let it stretch out and out. Neither of them moved. Finally, Dex broke the silence.

“They just don’t get it. Bitty thinks he does, because he was scared. But he was scared because he didn’t know. Because he had hope. His parents might not accept him, but they might. And then it all worked out for him. So he thinks it will for everyone. I don’t think any of the others even had to worry. Acceptance guaranteed.”

Dex paused, leaning forward and bracing his arms on his thighs. “They don’t understand what it’s like to know. One hundred percent know that if your family found out, you’d have no family. To choose not when to come out or how, but when to cut ties because it’s the same thing. To ache between wanting to be yourself and wanting to be part of your family, because that’s part of you too, isn’t it?”

He scrunched up his face. Talking fucking sucked. He should have let Nursey come, he was the words guy. But Nursey wouldn’t have these words. It had to be Dex. “The idea that choice, that time, could be taken away from you. It sucks.”

Dex turned his head ever so slightly to look at Whiskey from the corner of his eyes. “Got your back. If you need anything. Let me know.” He turned back to the ice.

The silence stretched out again before it was broken by Whiskey’s voice, soft and harsh. “I think my mamá would be ok. But Papá wouldn’t. And he wouldn’t let her see me anymore.”

Dex nodded. “Same with my ma. She wouldn’t understand, but she’d try for me. Dad and Mike?” Dex huffed to express their reaction. 

“Yeah.” 

There was nothing else to say, really. 

They continued to sit in silence for a long long time, watching the moon move across the ice.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr at [SexyDexyNurse](https://sexydexynurse.tumblr.com/)
> 
> This doesn't really have my trademark happy ending, but it's not necessarily an unhappy ending. Just an unhappy situation. Who knows, maybe things could still end up happy for both of them? At least they have each other to talk to.
> 
> And yeah, Dex basically just came out to the team by saying he was the one that could relate best to Whiskey. Who knows if they picked up on it.


End file.
